Charm School

Rating:
Summary: Charm School
Review: CHARM SCHOOL

This book starts with a man driving through the back area's or Russia. It is getting dark, and he has heard that if an american is out where he is after dark bad things happen. Well upon exploring Russia on his little expedition he gets word about a certain "charm school." After he has found it he meets up with a female CIA agent and they are to infiltrate this school to see what it is all about. This book is very fast paced. Once you want to put it down there is an action scene blossoming and can really feel the gun shots zinging past your head. Nelson Demille is my favorite author and he never ceases to amaze me or keep me riveted in my chair as I read. To find out more about this school hidden deep in the back country of Russia read the book Charm School.

Rating:
Summary: A letter from ex-USSR
Review: Hi,
Usually I do dislike what Americans write and film about us Russians. Oh, please cut this 'Kalinka', bearded generals(they don't have beards in army!), bears on streets and so on bullsh*t. But thanks to DeMille, he depicted USSR mostly correctly. The plot itself is very interesting. How irrealistic it is? Mostly, but I've just seen an interesting story of such a kind on our TV. It tells about American named Hamilton who was considered by his family as MIA. But really he was an agent working for KGB in 60s. Later he escaped to USSR where he completly went mad. So they showed a really thrilling picture: a mad old man living in a rural Russian house for mind disabled persons, who doesn't speak any Russian and who is believing all his relatives killed by CIA. He refuses to talk to any Americans, thinking they come to assasin him. So, DeMille's story turns out not to be such irrealistic.

Rating:
Summary: Hooked me on Nelson DeMille
Review: I bought this book when I was in the Army. I was intriguted by the Vietnam/military. I was hooked on Nelson DeMille from that point on. And this book is my favorite of all of them. I have purchased extra copies for gifts. If you enjoy mysteries/thrillers/spy stories, this is the book for you. It's got it all. It's a fast paced read.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: This was my first Nelson Demille book and it turned me into a fan. I could not put it down. It was so compelling.

Rating:
Summary: Gripping
Review: The Charm School is the project code name to the project where young KGB agents are being taught by American POW's how to be model US citizens.

And purely by chance, an American tourist finds out about this Cold War project, which sets off a CIA investigation.

From the beginning, I remember telling myself to place myself in this environment, and to think of possibilities.

Well, I also found myself feeling like I was there, in the midst of the drama, and having to think my way out.

This story was so gripping, and it really is developed in a way that makes the "impossible," and the "well maybe," too close to distinguish the two.

DeMille also developed the many character struggles so well that you had to feel as though you are part of the drama.

And as you follow the story, you may find, as I did, that the last 200 or so pages moved incredibly quickly that you just could not put the book down.

Rating:
Summary: honest view of USSR
Review: This book came highly recommended and I was told that I would not be able to put it down. For the most part, that was true, although the middle section does drag quite a bit. The most interesting thing about this book was the honest, unflinching depiction of Soviet era Russia. Through the female lead we see the romanticized vision of Russia, but through the other characters we see the brutality and corruption that was in reality the Soviet regime.

Rating:
Summary: 10 STARS
Review: My favorite Demille book and possibly my all time favorite!

Rating:
Summary: Gripping!
Review: It's difficult to put Charm School down...great to take on a long trip or flight. I've recommended this to my friends who enjoy espionage thrillers, because I have yet to find one that matches the thrill of Charm School. After reading it, I read several other DeMille books, and have yet to find one that compares.

Rating:
Summary: sacrificing to the altar of détenté
Review: This is a long novel, 630 pages, and it did not hold my attention that well. It is a dated cold-war novel, and has a somewhat surrealistic plot. The story assumes that hundreds of U.S. military officers from the Vietnam War could be transferred to the Soviet Union and be held for over 20 years, along with kidnapped tourists, with nobody finding out. Come on now, if more than one person knows something it is no longer a secret, and in this case we have thousands of people involved. It is not like the western powers did not have agents inside the Soviet Union. And 3,000 agents inside the U.S. with nobody selling out? One would have to be paranoid to believe this (aliens from outer space are hiding among us).

The novel digresses a lot into side topics ranging from love affairs to Russian cuisine. There is a lot of macho breast beating, and too much bumbling around for a secret operation. The idea of sacrificing a group of individuals for the sake of diplomacy is possible, but any president involved in an event such as the one described in this novel would end his political career, probably be impeached, possibly be tried for criminal conduct, and his political party would be left in ruins.

The novel reaches a climax with a long-winded argument in the middle of a battle (that turned me off with Hemingway, and it turned me off with this novel), and an excape with too many people left alive with knowledge that would bring down the government.

Rating:
Summary: KGB agents aren't charming until they are Americanized.
Review: Two agents of the American Embassy find themselves caught up in an amazing story of espionage when they investigate the strangely suspicious death of a young American touring the Russian countryside. They uncover the location of a Russian "Charm School" where loyal Communist Comrades are programmed to walk, talk and act like typical Americans and then infiltrate the U.S. by the thousands as Russian spies!

...

Unfortunately, the lead female character becomes quickly annoying. She's a self-absorbed 29-year-old American on assignment at the American embassy in Russia. She finds herself caught up in a Spring/Winter romance with a fellow American agent, but behaves like a childish idiot throughout the story. Imagine scenes of gunfire, car chases and other life-threatening situations when lead female character starts hounding her new beau about "the status of their relationship."

Oh please help me! I'm going to be ill!

This behavior is just far too close to reality, but the rest of the story is an adventure. So guys, do as you would in real life. Pretend you're listening to her and enjoy the story.